When it comes to controlling smarthome devices using Alexa, you need to make sure those devices are named correctly. Here’s how to rename your smarthome gadgets so that voice commands sound a bit more natural.

First off, there are a couple of ways you can rename smarthome devices. The first way is by using a device’s own app. So with a Belkin WeMo smart plug, for instance, you can go into the WeMo app and rename your smart plugs to whatever you want, like “space heater”, “bedside lamp”, or whatever the smart plug is controlling. However, that’s not the easiest way to do things if you use Alexa.

Instead, it’s better to use the Alexa app, where you can rename all of your smarthome devices in one place. Here’s how to do it.

Start by opening the Alexa app, and then tapping the menu button at the top left of the screen.

Select “Smart Home” from the menu.

You’ll immediately see a list of all your smarthome devices. Tap the one that you want to rename.

On the device page, tap the small ellipses up in the top right corner.

On the Device Settings page that opens, tap the “Edit Name” option.

Hit the “X” icon or backspace button to erase the current name, and then type in your new name for that specific device. Hit “Done” to confirm the new name.

The changes will automatically save and you’ll be good to go! Keep in mind that this only renames the device on Alexa’s end. If you were to, say, open up the device’s own app, it will still use the original name that you gave it—renaming it through the Alexa app simply tells Alexa that “space heater” actually means “smart plug 2” (for example). So, if you use both Alexa and the device’s app, rename it in both places.

Craig LloydCraig Lloyd is a smarthome expert with nearly ten years of professional writing experience. His work has been published by iFixit, Lifehacker, Digital Trends, Slashgear, and GottaBeMobile. Read Full Bio »